Cisco woke covered in a blanket with his head resting on Barry's lap. Barry was asleep, leaning against the wall where Cisco had been the night before.

Cisco carefully got up, so as to not wake Barry. He covered Barry with the blanket he'd been using.

Barry's face was so peaceful when he slept, Cisco thought as he glanced over, like a dozing angel. He tiptoed back into the cortex to check on Caitlin.

She was already awake, running data through her computer. She glanced at him as he entered.

"I have good news and bad news." She said, swiveling in her chair to face him. "Which do you want to hear first?"

"Bad news." Cisco leaned against the wall.

"Well, from what I can tell, the only thing we can really do is let this thing run its course."

"And the good news?" Cisco rubbed his eyes.

"It will probably only take about two more days." She smiled, trying to be positive.

"Great." Cisco muttered. "Does that mean the thing I worked on last night is useless?"

"Pretty much. But we can still try it?" Caitlin offered, shrugging.

Cisco sighed. "Couldn't hurt. But, if it doesn't work, what am I supposed to do with him for three days?"

"I don't know, he's your boyfriend." She joked. Cisco glared at her.

"Hardy har har. He's not my boyfriend." Cisco walked to his desk, double-checking the device for errors.

Barry walked into the room carrying the now-folded blanket. He beamed at Cisco and crossed the room to join him.

"Did you finish it?" Barry asked, pointing at the machine. Cisco nodded.

"Yup. All ready to take on the world's largest disco."

"Wow, all that in one night?" Barry remarked, obviously impressed. "Are we going to try it today?"

"Yeah, but I think we could all use an hour or two to go home and freshen up." Caitlin nodded in agreement, using her fingers to brush her hair.

"Alright," Barry said, "I'll miss you every second we're apart." He kissed Cisco's cheek and grinned. Then he sped out of the room.

"I swear," Cisco said, as much to Caitlin as it was to himself, "sometimes I think that guy came straight out of a Nicholas Sparks novel."

After freshening up, they all reconvened at the lab. Cisco brought out the machine. He turned off all the lights in the cortex for optimal potency.

"Ready, Barry?" Cisco asked, finger on the switch.

"Yep." Came the reply. Cisco flipped the switch, turning the machine on.

Lights spilled everywhere, flashing in semi-random sequences. Orange and purple intermingled while blue flickered into green. All the colors of the rainbow were present, dancing in front of their eyes in waves and beams. It only lasted about twenty seconds.

Cisco turned the lights back on, blinking in the sudden brightness. He looked at Barry hopefully.

"Did it work? How do you feel?" Cisco asked.

"Like I just went to a rave and did seven different kinds of drugs." Barry said still blinking away the afterimages.

"But, did it work?"

Barry stood up and stepped in front of Cisco. "Let's find out."

He bent down and kissed Cisco, cupping one side of his face and moving their lips together. Cisco didn't pull away this time, for science, he reasoned with himself.

Caitlin cleared her throat, reminding them both that she was still there. Barry pulled away with one final peck on the lips.

"I don't think it worked." Barry said.

Cisco licked his lips and shook his head. "No. But that was one hell of a light show you gotta admit. We're totally saving that for the next party we go to.

"Because we go to so many parties." Caitlin said sarcastically. She rolled her eyes and walked away.

"Hey, you never know!" Cisco called after her. Barry smiled to himself.

Cisco put the machine away. Well, that idea couldn't have been more ineffective than if he'd tied glow sticks to his hands and waved them in figure-eights around Barry's head. There wasn't really anything more they could do that day besides wait. Cisco figured they might as well keep themselves occupied. He turned to Barry.

"So... we kinda have the day off, assuming no bad guys show up. Wanna get out of the lab for awhile with me?"

Barry smiled. "Like a date?"

"No. Like two guys being guys."

"Two guys being guys... on a date?"

Cisco frowned. "You're being difficult."

Barry put his hands up in surrender. "Alright, have it your way. So what are we going to do on this not-date?"

"I don't know, I hadn't thought that far."

"Let's... go get some coffee?" Barry suggested.

"Sure." Cisco smiled slightly. Barry grabbed his hand as they walked out the door, intertwining their fingers.

Cisco wanted to just let it happen, but his thoughts nagged at him, reminding him that Barry wasn't really in love with him. And Cisco definitely didn't feel anything for Barry beyond friendship. He definitely did not think Barry had a nice smile, or that his hand fit perfectly in Barry's, or that that kiss earlier had been one of the best he'd ever had. Nope.

Cisco pulled his hand out of Barry's and stuck it in his front pocket. Barry saw this as an invitation rather than a rejection, and snaked his arm around Cisco's waist, sliding his hand into the back pocket furthest from himself.

Cisco sighed and gave up. Thankfully, it was a short walk to the coffee shop.

Once they got there, Barry let go of Cisco and opened the door for him. Cisco walked inside with Barry following closely behind, and nearly ran straight into Iris.

"Oh!" She stopped abruptly. "Hey guys! That's so crazy, I was literally on my way to the lab. No Caitlin?"

"Uh, no." Cisco said, still surprised. "She's working on stuff." Iris moved aside to let them in.

Barry grinned. "Iris, I have great news!"

"Oh? Well, lay it on me, Bear." She smiled. Barry grabbed Cisco's hand, his expression turning dreamy.

Uh-oh, Cisco thought. If Barry said what Cisco thought he was about to say, then they were in trouble.

"I'm in love with-"

"OKAY," Cisco cut him off and pulled his hand away, "That's enough sugar for you! Why don't you go get us some coffee while me and Iris wait outside, okay?"

"But-"

"No but's! Coffee. Go. NOW." Cisco pushed him towards the line. Iris stared in confusion.

Barry shrugged and gave him a peck on the cheek before wandering over to the line. Cisco laughed nervously as Iris looked at him, eyebrows raised.

"What am I missing here?" Iris pointed from Barry to him.

"I can explain." Cisco said meekly. He gestured for her to follow him outside. She complied.

"So," Iris stopped in front of the window, "what exactly is going on with you two?"

"Uh..." Cisco raked his hair out of his face and looked at the ground. "Yesterday, Barry had a run in with Prism-"

"The emotions guy?" Iris asked. Cisco nodded.

"-And he got whammied. Again. But this time he used love, and I went to go get him because he got shot-"

"Barry got shot?! And you didn't tell me?! Cisco!" She slapped his arm.

"Okay, I'm sorry! We still need to work on communication, I know. He's fine now, anyway. But, now Barry thinks he's in love with me."

"Can't you just zap him with that light thing again?" Iris asked. Cisco shook his head.

"We already tried, it didn't work. But Caitlin thinks he'll be back to normal in a couple days."

Barry walked out carrying two cups. He handed one to Cisco.

"So, Barry," Iris said after a brief pause. She winked at Cisco. "Cisco was just telling me how much he loves it when you give him P.D.A. He thinks it's really sweet, and wants you to do it more often."

"What are you talking about, Iris?" Cisco said through grit teeth and a false smile.

Iris leaned over, smile innocent as an angel's, and whispered, "Maybe now you'll remember to call me when Barry get's shot, hmm?" Cisco glared at Iris.

"Really?" Barry asked Cisco. "Did you really say that?"

"No. No I-"

"Oh, Cisco! There's no reason to be embarrassed!" Iris said. She turned to Barry. "He was just a little bit too shy to say it to you."

Barry smiled and traced his fingertips along Cisco's jaw. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Cisco was suddenly very aware of how close they were standing to each other. Barry stepped even closer, and brought their lips together.

Barry had one hand behind Cisco's neck, the other resting against Cisco's hips, busy holding his cup of coffee. Cisco closed his eyes as Barry pressed him backwards, only stopping when he felt the window on his back.

They broke into a series of smaller kisses, taking in gasps of air between each. Cisco could taste coffee with a hint of vanilla.

Barry ran the tip of his tongue along Cisco's lower lip, sending shivers down Cisco's spine. He caught Barry's distinct smell of burnt ozone as he inhaled, barely masked with cologne.

Cisco's brain reminded him that they were not alone. Iris was still there, and, he realized, they were making out against a window. A window to a coffee shop full of people. Cisco turned his head so that he could see in the window, breaking lip contact with Barry, who switched to sucking on his neck.

People were staring. A lot of people. Most turned away when they saw him looking back, but some did not, especially the two young women sitting at the table nearest the window, who were both wide-eyed and fidgeting uncomfortably with the awkwardness.

Cisco pushed Barry off more forcefully than he intended. He grabbed Barry's hand and pulled him past Iris, who was outright laughing while she jogged to keep up with them.

Barry tried stopping him multiple times, asking what was wrong, but Cisco was dead set on getting away from the coffee shop. He only stopped walking once they were inside S.T.A.R. Labs.

Barry forced Cisco to a halt in the hallway. Iris walked past them into the cortex, presumably to talk to Caitlin about work, life, and the latest happenings.

"For the hundredth time," Barry said, "what's wrong?"

"Didn't you notice there were, like, fifty people staring at us?" Cisco asked. He downed his coffee, wishing it were something stronger.

"Yeah, so?"

"So? So, that's embarrassing! So, I'm never going to be able to show my face there again!" Cisco put his face in his hands and groaned. "I liked that place, too. They had good scones."

"Dude, you're overreacting." Barry rubbed circles on Cisco's back, attempting to calm him. "No one even saw your face. Besides, you said you liked P.D.A., right?"

"I never said anything! But even if I had, that P.D.A. had way too much 'P' involved in the 'D-A'."

"Well, I'm sorry for not listening to you. Next time, I'll make sure we're in a more private place."

"There won't be a 'next time,' Barry." Cisco said, voice low. He brushed Barry's hand off his back.

Barry began to ask for clarification, but Caitlin popped out of the door frame.

"Car chase on twelfth avenue, Barry, you're needed." She said.

"Can't the cops handle it?" Barry asked, annoyed at the interruption.

"Well, maybe, but would you really let a little girl get kidnapped?"

Barry sighed. "No. I'll be there in a second."

"Hurry." Caitlin gave him a warning look before disappearing into the cortex again.

He kissed Cisco, hard and fast.

"For luck!" He called over his shoulder, running into the cortex to change. Half a second later, a blur of lightning and wind whooshed past Cisco.

Cisco leaned against the wall and slid to the floor. He sighed, resting his elbows on his knees.

It was all fake. Every time Barry showed affection, every time he said he loved Cisco, it was fake. And Cisco knew it was. But that didn't change how he could still feel Barry's lips linger on his, how he could feel himself wanting to hear Barry say he loved him again and again. But he knew it would never be real.

Iris came into the hallway and sat next to him.

"Hey." She said. "Are you doing okay?"

"No." Cisco replied. She put an arm around his shoulder and squeezed.

"It's Barry, huh?" He nodded. "That love bug is really messing with both of you. I don't think he's usually like this when he's in love. Maybe a little bit with the touchy-feely stuff. But, for the most part, he's a lot less dumb."

Cisco smiled some. "You're probably right."

"Of course I am." She said, half-joking. "But this'll be over soon, right? Just a little bit longer of having him hang all over you."

"Yeah. Its just hard dealing with the affection and stuff when, y'know..." Cisco wasn't entirely sure what he himself was referring to; not returning those feelings, or the opposite.

Caitlin called for Iris to come back from inside the lab. Iris stood up and smoothed her skirt down. She looked down at Cisco one last time.

"Just remember, nothing he feels for you right now is real, so try not to feel bad about having to make him back off. It's always hard when you don't love someone back, but you'll get through it." She gave him a sympathetic smile and left.

He sank his forehead against his knees and sighed.

"It's even harder when you do."